Arizona State Frat Suspended For Throwing ‘MLK Black Party’

Arizona State University officials suspended its chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon after the fraternity threw a “MLK Black Party” over the weekend, a school representative told CBS 5 Arizona.

At the unofficial, off-campus party, students dressed in basketball jerseys, displayed gang signs and drank from watermelon cups, according to photos obtained by CBS.

ASU condemned the party, calling the event “misguided” and “offensive,” and said the fraternity, which was already on social probation, held the party off campus without university permission.

“ASU has one of the most diverse student bodies of any major university in the country, and it is unfortunate that a few misguided individuals held an offensive party at a time when ASU, the state and the nation are celebrating Dr. King’s achievements and legacy. The university will not tolerate this kind of behavior,” a statement from the university reads.

A representative from the national TKE chapter said that he is aware of the situation and will be meeting with school officials and students

“I’ll be meeting with the school as well as the local chapter, as I said, to really flush out the details of this incident and get a full scope of what occurred,” Patrick Gleason, the director of compliance and housing at TKE, told CBS. “We have been in contact with the chapter and have been working with them to help them get back onto campus.”

Students as well as officials said they were offended by the party.

“This isn’t appropriate at all and you really have no business dressing like this on a day that’s sort of revered for African-Americans,” ASU senior Frank Hogan told CBS. “They obviously need to be checked on what they’re doing, how they’re acting and how they’re presenting themselves. Not only as a fraternity of brothers, but as people.”